The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1887-08-06
THE CONGO COUNTRY.


The hundreds of beautiful islands Of
the Congo. some of them ten to twenty
miles long, are as rich II not richer
than the main land, says Lieutenant
Taunt in his report concerning his
recent expedition to Africa. As rule.
both mainland and islands are covered
with dense forests, in which are to be
found the rubber, gum, copal. palm
and other valuable trees, On the main
land are occasional stretches of inn
mense plateaus, which the elephant.
buffalo and other game use for feeding
grounds. The islands above Bangala
are covered with thousands Of the valu-
able oil palm trees.
The Congo abounds in most excellent
food fish, which form staple article Of
food on the upper river. The natives
seldom eat the fish when fresh, but
smoke or dry them. The man-eating
crocodile is met with throughout the
river, and in the region of the island
and sand banks the hippopotami are
found. / have frequently met herds OF
fifteen or twenty of these beasts play.
ing in the river. If disturbed in their
breeding season they will attack pass
ing canoes and sometimes steamers.
One of the state launches has been
badly injured by the tusks of q hippo.
OF the mineral wealth of the Congo
valley there can be no question. The
natives of all sections possess iron and
copper in large quantities. The knives
and spears are made of the iron and
decorated with copper. Their brass
ornaments are made from the matakos
that they purchase in trade from the
whites. l saw no gold or silver; the
natives do not place any value on these
metals. It has been reported that the
Arabs have found gold in small
quantities in the interior, above Stanley
Falls.
The natives of the lower Congo are
armed with fint-lock muskets, but they
are almost harmless. They have no
idea of craftsmanship. and it is the ex-
ception when man is killed in their
tribal wars. In October. 1885, between
M'Bauza Meteke and vivi. / was in
camp with nearly six hundred Of
Makito's people Zone of the most power
full chiefs on the lower river); these
people were returning from the coast
with rum. gin. ETC., but with my native
caravan and one other white man /
camped as peacefully among these six
hundred natives as could have done
at Vivi. And again, one Of the En-
glish mission is living alone at Lutete,
and has been so for months. the nearest
white man being fifty miles from him.
The agents of the State never travel
with a guard in the lower country, and
the State limits its caravans to enough
people for the transportation Of their
camp equipage only. As far as l could
learn, there is no case on record during
the last two years where white mans
caravan has been molested on the lower
river.
Zanzibaris and Houssas travelling are
sometimes seized. logged and tied up
in the villages, but an investigation
will usually develop the fact that they
have been stealing food or assaulting
women, and the man richly deserves
all he gets The mails from Vivi to
Stanley Pool are sent in charge of two
Houssas, and have never been interfered
with.
The Baskungas are supeFtitious to
the last degree; they rely for protection
on their fetch charms, and the medicine
men of the tribes have great in
fluence. On the death of any person
of note in the village the poison Is used.
The medicine-men designates the man
or woman suspected Of causing the death
by charms or witchcraft. The poison ID
administered. and If it acts as an emetic.
that signifies innocence; if. ON the con-
trary, it kills, the guilty one is punished.
In some instances the laws of the Bask-
ungas are very stringent. Stealing
from each other is punished by death.
Fighting or disorder in the market
places is seriously punished. and if a
fire-arm is used the punishment is death.
The market place, which usually covers
some acres of ground, is used as the
place of execution, and it is not an I'M
usual sight to meet a skeleton hanging
and bleaching in the sun on the out
skirts of market, or to find broken
musket driven into the ground, which
marks the spot where man has been
buried alive up to his throat, his brains
dashed out, then covered and the
musket driven into his body. All this to
serve as a warning to others not to use
firearms in the market place.
The native food of the lower Congo
valley is principally peanuts and chi
quango (made from the manioc root.
On market days fowl, eggs, goat and
,,ork NOV ho houOhf and lin su1a all